Marco Silva spoke about another West London derby for Fulham.
The Cottagers are right in the mix for continental competition at the backend of the campaign, and they must travel to the Gtech Community Stadium to face a Brentford outfit with similar aims.
‘It’s a team that’s clearly in a battle with us’
The Bees have drawn their last four fixtures in the Premier League, but they still sit in seventh spot with 47 points. They have overperformed under Keith Andrews, and this Saturday lunchtime kick-off should be a well-contested encounter as a nod to the quality spread across the English top tier.
For Silva, all-London affairs are a regular occurrence, but a triumph in this match would mean more.
“This game gets more pivotal, more decisive, because it’s against a team that’s clearly in the battle with us. It’s a team that is three points above ourselves, and we know that gap that is there, we have to do the maximum we can to win the game, and [if we do] the gap is going to disappear, simple as that.
“And because of that, I agree with you. It’s easy to agree. I think all of us, we agree in this room here, that it’s a decisive game. And as you go for the end [of the season], all of them are going to be decisive, [but] this moment we are going to play against a team that is in the same battle and, of course, the three points, whoever is going to take, it’s going to be a big boost.
“All the others we enjoy because they are London derbies, but the two [Brentford and Chelsea] are the main ones for the fanbase, and when they are the main ones for the fanbase, you feel it’s more special, definitely, because at the end of the day you are here to work, to achieve points, to get good results, to be proud of the position in the table, to achieve the goals that you have for the season.
“But the main thing is, of course, to make the people that love you and the football club proud of the work. And a game like this one will always have an impact on them.
“You know, early kick-off on a Saturday, you can make them have the good weekend they deserve. And let’s work for it. Both teams, they are going to work really hard for it. Luckily for the fans, because we have been working very, very hard the last few seasons, we have been giving them the good feelings after these type of special games. Let’s hope we can give [them on Saturday] again.”